Delhi pressured to send troops to Iraq

India has come under renewed pressure from the US to send troops to Iraq on the plea that it will emerge as a "sovereign" state on June 30, with its chosen Prime Minister Iyad Allawi in power.

New Delhi has reportedly made it clear that it cannot give any assurances to the Americans at this stage, and would wait for a UN Security Council resolution recognising the new "government" of Iraq as a truly sovereign entity followed by the withdrawal of US troops.

The Left Front, which is keeping a close watch on developments concerning Iraq, has made it very clear to External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh that any compromise on this issue will not be tolerated.

The Communist Party of India (CPI) general secretary A.B. Bardhan, when asked if the US request was being considered, said: "No, of course not. If there is any such move there will be a major movement of protest in the country."

He questioned the supposed "sovereignty" of the new dispensation being given shape by the Americans, pointing out this was set to function under the US and its 130,000-strong contingent of troops in Iraq.

The Americans are visibly worried about the "Left content" in the government, which is being seen as a major hurdle in Washington's troop-gathering initiative in the region.

US Undersecretary for Defence Policy Douglas Feith was in New Delhi to judge the new government's responses on the request for troops for Iraq and, according to sources here, did not get a very positive response.

The Left leaders, more hardline on Iraq than the Congress Party, are categorical that the realities on the ground will have to be assessed after the supposed transfer of power before India can make any kind of commitment.

"A UN resolution is not enough, we will have to see if the Americans are moving out of Iraq, what is the response of the people there, and how free and 'sovereign' the new government actually is" – this appears to be the consensus in the Left Front, which had opposed the US invasion and later occupation of Iraq both in Parliament and on the streets.

Natwar Singh has made it clear that "close cooperation" between India and the US will continue. But he has taken care to add that the differences will not be aired publicly but remain confined to closed-door discussions between the two countries.

His ministry recently issued a carefully-worded statement on the violence in Najaf which had caused some damage to the famous shrine, saying that the religious sentiments of the people should be respected.

– The Asian Age